While the environmental benefits of green offices are routinely documented, a new report from the World
Green Business Council shows that
evidence-backed green office design can
also have a positive impact on worker
productivity.

The rate of absenteeism in the U.S. is 3%
in the private sector and 4% in the public
sector. The associated costs amount to
$2,000-$2,500 per employee per year.
With the high cost of any loss of worker
productivity, the research outlines six key
areas where green features can improve

1) Indoor Air Quality – With the wide
range of chemicals, microorganisms,
and particles that office occupants are
typically exposed to, indoor air quality is
a high driver of productivity. Studies show
that improved ventilation can increase
productivity by as much as 11%.

2) Thermal Comfort – While related to
IAQ, thermal comfort is also crucial to
successful occupant engagement, with
performance dropping 4% in cooler
temperatures and 6% when it’s too
warm. Research have also shown that by
giving occupants some control over the
temperature of their workspace, they are
more willing to adapt to a wider
thermal range.

3) Daylighting and Lighting – Numerous
studies have found that access to
windows increases worker satisfaction
and can even have benefits that extend
beyond the workday.

4) Biophilia – There is growing evidence
that workers with a view of nature
from a window or those who have
office plants in their vicinity have
higher levels of productivity than their
counterparts without a connection
to nature. Some studies have shown
workers can increase their time-on-task by up to 15% when seated near
an exterior window.

5) Noise and Interior Layout – Possibly
the most dramatic driver of occupant
productivity is noise and acoustics,
with studies showing up to a 66%
drop in productivity when workers are
subjected to distracting background
noise. Installing physical design
features and providing etiquette guidance to building occupants can be
effective at reducing distractions and
background noise. This is particularly
essential if workplace density is increasing due to expansion or renovation or your building has open offices.

6) Look and Feel – The visual appeal of
an office design is also mentioned as
key to work satisfaction, with surveys
showing that the aesthetics
of a workplace can help with both retention and recruitment. Active design
that encourages movement within the
building, as well as the presence of
accessible amenities such as healthcare, shops, gyms, and childcare
centers, also have a large impact on
occupant productivity.